Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunpavariaka’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunpavariaka’, characterized by its vining plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; variegated leaves; early flowering habit; long flowering period; and numerous red-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNPAVARIAKA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunpavariaka’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of Mandevilla hybrida ‘Sunmandecrikin’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,736. The new Mandevilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single flowering plant of the proprietary selection in a controlled nursery environment in Sarasota, Fla. in May, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in Sarasota, Fla. since October, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunpavariaka’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunpavariaka’ as a new and distinct Mandevilla plant:

-   -   1. Vining plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Variegated leaves.     -   5. Early flowering habit.     -   6. Long flowering period.     -   7. Numerous red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the mutation parent, ‘Sunmandecrikin’. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of ‘Sunmandecrikin’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla have smaller leaves than plants         of ‘Sunmandecrikin’.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘Sunmandecrikin’ differ in         leaf color as plants of ‘Sunmandecrikin’ have variegated leaves.     -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla have smaller flowers than plants         of ‘Sunmandecrikin’.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the Mandevilla splendens ‘FGRRV1’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,446. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Mandevilla differ from plants of ‘FGRRV1’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Mandevilla are lanceolate in         shape whereas leaves of plants of ‘FGRRV1’ are elliptic to ovate         in shape.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘FGRRV1’ differ in leaf         color as plants of ‘FGRRV1’ have medium green and creamy white         variegated leaves.     -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘FGRRV1’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘FGRRV1’ have red purple-flowers with         yellow-colored flower throats.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Mandevilla plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunpavariaka’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunpavariaka’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late summer in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Mandevilla production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 25° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were six months old when the photographs and detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla hybrida ‘Sunpavariaka’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Mandevilla hybrida     ‘Sunmandecrikin’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,736. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at temperatures             about 23° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About five to six             weeks at temperatures about 23° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically light brown in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Vining plant habit; vigorous growth             habit; freely branching habit.         -   Plant height (with support).—About 90 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter:             About 3.5 mm. Internode length: About 2.7 cm. Strength:             Strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent, rough. Color,             developing: Close to 144A; faint spots, close to N199B;             apices, close to N199A. Color, fully developed: Close to             199B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 8.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Entire; slightly undulate.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent,             rough.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A;             towards the margins, close to 162D. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Close to 146B; towards the margins, close to 162D.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137B;             towards the margins, close to 162D; venation, close to 145C.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to NN137D;             towards the margins, close to 161D; venation, close to 145C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 8.9 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers arranged in             axillary racemes; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly;             freely flowering habit with about three to five flowers per             inflorescence and about 60 flowers developing per plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants             begin flowering about six weeks after planting; long             flowering period, plants flower continuously from summer             until late autumn in Japan.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days;             flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 6.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm.             Shape: Trullate. Color: Distally, close to 70C; proximally,             close to 149D tinged with close to 58C.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Salverform; flared trumpet, corolla             fused and five-parted; flowers roughly star-shaped.             Diameter: About 7.7 cm. Depth (length): About 6.8 cm. Throat             diameter: About 1.7 cm. Tube length: About 2.9 cm. Tube             diameter, proximally: About 3.7 mm.         -   Corolla.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals arranged in a             single whorl and fused towards the base into an elongated             tube; petal lobes separate and not imbricate. Petal lobe             length: About 2.9 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.5 cm. Petal             lobe shape: Obovate, strongly asymmetrical. Petal lobe apex:             Acute. Petal lobe margin: Entire; slightly recurved and             undulate. Petal lobe texture and luster, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Petal lobe texture and luster,             lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Throat texture and             luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Tube texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Petal lobe, when opening,             upper surface: Close to between 46B and 53B; towards the             margins, close to 53C. Petal lobe, when opening, lower             surface: Close to 51B. Petal lobe, fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 53B to 53C; at the edges, flushed with             close to 54C; venation, close to 53A; color becoming closer             to 53B to 53D and subsequently close to 54A with             development. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 54B and N57D. Throat: Distally, close to 53A; proximally,             close to 15A; venation, close to 149D. Tube: Distally, close             to 55B; proximally, close to 68B; venation, close to 150D             tinged with close to 54B.         -   Calyx.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals arranged in a             single whorl, fused at the base; calyx, star-shaped. Sepal             length: About 3 mm. Sepal width: About 1.9 mm. Sepal shape:             Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acuminate. Sepal margin: Entire.             Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Sepal color, upper surface: Close to 145D. Sepal color,             lower surface: Close to 145D; towards the apex, tinged with             close to 35D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.4 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Aspect: Mostly outwardly. Color:             Close to 146A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 2.3 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Aspect: Upright to outwardly.             Color: Close to 146C slightly overlain with close to 180B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement:             Typically five; filaments fused to corolla; anthers,             connivent. Anther size: About 1.6 mm by 6.8 mm. Anther             shape: Lanceolate. Anther color: Close to 162B. Pollen             amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 162B. Pistils:             Quantity: Typically one. Pistil length: About 1.9 cm. Style             color: Close to 145C. Stigma shape: Globose. Stigma color:             Close to 145B. Ovary color: Close to 145A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed on plants of the new Mandevilla to date. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not     been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Mandevilla plants to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been observed     to tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to     about 30° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunpavariaka’ as illustrated and described. 